Shillong, April 22: In a key infrastructure push for Meghalaya, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has granted ‘in-principle’ approval for the diversion of 34.88 hectares of Reserved and Deemed Forest land in East and North Garo Hills districts. The clearance paves the way for the improvement and widening of National Highway 127B (Darugiri–Songsak–Williamnagar Junction) under the Bharatmala Pariyojana.
The project involves upgrading a 36.635 km stretch of the highway to two lanes with paved shoulders, from design Km 0+000 to Km 36+635 (existing Km 112+000 to Km 151+060).
It falls under Lot-1, Package-1B, and will be implemented in EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction) mode.
According to official documents, the decision was made after detailed deliberation by the Forest Advisory Committee in consultation with the Deputy Director General of Forests (Central), Regional Office, Shillong, and the Nodal Officer of the Government of Meghalaya.
Meghalaya forest department officials informed the committee that there are no protected areas which lie within a 10 km radius of the project, and there is no archaeological, heritage, or defence sites have been reported in the project area.
The state government said the proposal of road construction in Darugiri-Songsak- Williamnagar is necessary for the State as it will benefit all citizens of the State of Meghalaya and give more development opportunities. This road will help all citizens from the capital, Shillong, to places in Garo Hills, which previously had to cross Guwahati, Assam, to travel from Shillong to Tura.
This section of road from Darugiri, Songsak, Williamnagar Junction Section falls in between the Nongstoin Tura section of NH-44 (E) State Road joining the most important District Headquarters of West Khasi Hills, Nongstoin and District Headquarters of West Garo Hills, Tura.
The government said there is no suitable alternative to avoid the Darugiri, Songsak, Rongrengiri Reserved Forest to construct the project road.
Compensatory afforestation has been proposed over 34.8877 hectares of non-forest land in Village- Dagal Bolmedangh, Tehsil- Dambo Rongjeng, District- East Garo Hills.
Violations were reported as the User Agency had carried out work on forest land without prior approval, which constitutes a violation of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
The committee said the User Agency must pay five times the Net Present Value (NPV) for the extent of forest land violated, with 12% simple interest from the date of demand till payment. The Regional Office, Shillong shall initiate action under section 3A/3B of Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 (as applicable).
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